Blueprint 3 is out 9/11, eight years to the day of The Blueprint’s release, and Jay-Z is pulling out all the publicity stops. Over the weekend he courted the commie pothead demo via an appearance on Real Time (where Bill Maher presented him with a bound book of his lyrics) and then the Williamsburg hipster demo (same demo really) via an appearance at the Grizzly Bear show (more on that in a minute). Now, right on time, the LP has leaked. As we mentioned, the first track’s chorus features chopped vocals from Empire Of The Sun’s Luke Steele, whom Jigga discovered in an episode of Entourage and collaborated with remotely. Take a listen to “What We Talkin’ About.”
And here’s “Hate” featuring Kanye and an Al Roker shoutout.
Kid Cudi, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Young Jeezy, Swizz Beats, Drake, J. Cole, Pharrell, and Mr. Hudson (but not MGMT) also appear on the album.
As for the Grizzly Bear love, “I don’t understand why people are always surprised to see me at shows! … They’re an incredible band,” Jay tells MTV:
“The thing I want to say to everyone — I hope this happens because it will push rap, it will push hip-hop to go even further — what the indie-rock movement is doing right now is very inspiring. It felt like us in the beginning. These concerts, they’re not on the radio, no one hears about them, and there’s 12,000 people in attendance. And the music that they’re making and the connection they’re making to people is really inspiring. So, I hope that they have a run where they push hip-hop back a little bit, so it will force hip-hop to fight to make better music, because it can happen, because that’s what rap did that to rock.”
team9 vs. Stereogum – “Roc Knife” (MP3)
The Blueprint is out 9/11 via Roc Nation. That night he plays an Absolut-sponsored concert at Madison Square Garden benefitting the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund. [Jay @ Williamsburg Waterfront pic via CARLES.]
